MA
Michael Kline and Carrie Nobel Kline met in western Massachusetts and soon discovered a shared love of social activism, folklife documentation and old-time singing. They Klines perform country harmony duets from coal mining songs to front porch music, often with Joe Blumenthal on upright bass and third part vocal harmonies as well as Jim Armenti on mandolin.
Carrie and Michael Nobel Kline's lives are inspired by Appalachian music and culture. Their voices carry the songs with truth and authenticity, and their guitar accompaniments and haunting harmonies get you where you live.
Michael and Carrie have performed in Europe and across the United States. As folklorist-musicians they weave songs and stories, evoking the times that really matter, time with family and friends, spiritual times, wrapped in a patchwork quilt of vivid imagery. Kitchen songs. You can smell the biscuits baking.
Michael was staff folklorist for the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society (PVFS) conducting field research in a rapidly changing Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts from Springfield to Northfield in the early 1990s. We Klines left for Wheeling, WV in 1994 to do 160 life story audio recordings for the National Park Service and the City in their pursuit of National Heritage Area status. We wove those interviews into interpretive productions, conversational, multi-voice audio landscapes with music and narratives. We also produced a 22-part human rights radio series for WWVA while there.
We’ve documented and shared through oral, written and theatrical forms the Underground Railroad in the Ohio Valley, human experience with the Corps of Engineers, resiliency and chutzpah in Appalachian Queer folk, tobacco culture as well as Black sacred preaching and singing experience in Southern Maryland, ethnic heritage in the Anthracite coal fields of E. PA, and a great deal of expressive culture and narrative in West Virginia, including in-depth work on coal, class and color.
Michael spent three years working with the Cherokee of Western NC. Together we’ve worked with other Indigenous nations North and South and now find ourselves wrapped up collecting and producing from powerful Indigenous narratives in the Valley.
We are available for performances, oral history projects and to teach our workshop, Listening for a Change.
https://www.folktalk.org; https://soundcloud.com/talkingacrossthelines
Additional Content:
Sample Music, History and Folklife Productions
Sample Music, History and Folklife Productions
Wit and wisdom on race, class, the environment, community economics and local history from the Appalachian coalfields and frack fields--stories and music by the people who live here, who want to connect with YOU
Michael learned this song from the singing Hammons family of West Virginia's Allegheny Highlands. Scholars have traced this song to the time of Beowulf. The Klines teach it to their students of all ages.
Teaching "Granny Get Your Stick and Come and Walk With Me" by Sheila Kay Adams
Appalachian music students from Michigan State University learn to sing "Granny Get Your Stick and Come and Walk With Me" by Sheila Kay Adams, a song about ginsenging and passing on tradition
Leading "The Lady Gay" at the Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV
Michael learned this humorous song from singing giant Maggie Hammons Parker of West Virginia's Allegheny Highlands
Getting the Crowd Singing at Folklore Village to the tune of an old West Virginia version of Frog Went a'Courtin'
House Concert Performance of "The Timberline" by David Norris
House Concert Performance of "The Timberline" by David Norris
Mountain Arts District Promo Video
Mountain Arts District Promo Video
Institution/Business Type:
Performing Group
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
1996
Institution/Business Type:
Performing Group
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
1996
Primary Discipline:
Music - FolkAdditional Disciplines:
Activities and Services:
Populations Engaged:
Languages Available:
Geographic Reach:
Accessibility of Services:
Professional Associations:
Professional Associations:
Awards:
Education:
Teaching Settings:
Ages Served:
Subject Areas:
Certifications and Training:
Fee range:
$100 - $1,000Teaching Settings:
Ages Served:
Subject Areas:
Certifications and Training:
Fee range:
$100 - $1,000NEST Eligible Artist
Technical Requirements:
Fee Range:
$150 - $4,000State of Residence:
MassachusettsMinimum Number of Performers:
2Maximum Number of Performers:
5